SugarHouse Trolley News Room

Consultant to South Salt Lake: Don't bond for Market Station

2009-10-31T16:02:00.000-07:00

Consultant to South Salt Lake: Don't bond for Market Station
Redevelopment » A smaller project could be 'very viable' in a few years, report says.

By Rosemary Winters

The Salt Lake Tribune

Salt Lake Tribune
Updated:10/30/2009 05:14:39 PM MDT

South Salt Lake shouldn't go into debt to prop up the developer of a proposed urban village near a planned streetcar line.

That's the advice of city-hired consultant David Wilcox of Market & Feasibility Advisors.

In September, Steve Aste of Z Partners asked the city to issue a $9.5 million bond to buy nine-plus acres at his Market Station site, between State and Main streets and 2100 South and 2300 South. Aste hopes to build a vibrant housing, office and retail center along the route of the proposed Sugar House streetcar.

But the land his firm pieced together faces foreclosure by America First Credit Union. The consultant reports a $9.5 million loan -- that has grown to a $10.5 million debt -- received a default notice in June. Aste asked South Salt Lake to step in before the property is lost.

"I'm not asking for anything unrealistic," Aste says, adding that he believes the consultant's report contains errors. If the city buys the land, with or without a bond, he says, "the land itself is the security."

Earlier this week, the City Council delayed a discussion on Wilcox's report and a vote on possible land purchase to its next meeting. But, as of Friday, neither item was on Wednesday's agenda.

"It appears there's some time left to do some work here that would be favorable to the city's redevelopment initiative," Wilcox told the council via phone. "This very valuable asset should be saved in some way."

Wilcox suggests the city work with America First to market the project to a new development team, which could include Z Partners. South Salt Lake has a Community Development Area at the site, allowing the city to offer up to $24.4 million in property-tax incentives to a developer to build Market Station.

Bonding for the land purchase using Redevelopment Agency funds, Wilcox reports, would produce only $1.85 million in net proceeds -- a fraction of what is needed. Plus, public ownership would mean the city would not receive property taxes for the parcel until it could be resold into private hands.

In his report, Wilcox says Aste recently scaled back the $500 million vision for Market Station, slashing condos by 30 percent and dropping office and retail space by 50 percent. The consultant sees a first phase of the revised plan -- 276 condos, 60,000 square feet of offices and 15,000 square feet of retail in four buildings -- as "potentially very viable over the next three to four years."

All the city has to do is wait for the economy to recover.

rwinters@sltrib.com
Study findings

A bond, backed by Redevelopment Agency funds, likely would generate only $1.85 million in net proceeds, far short of the $9.5 million-plus needed to buy the land.

The property facing foreclosure includes 1.2 acres of former city streets and an alley that were conveyed to the developer at no cost. The city also has invested $350,000 to $500,000 in sewer upgrades for the project.

Proposed buildings of 20-plus stories likely will be scaled back to five to seven stories.

Source: Market & Feasibility Advisors report

SL Trib: editorial on Soren Simonsen-mentioning SH trolley

2009-10-24T20:45:00.000-07:00

Soren Simonsen
A second term in S.L. District 7

Tribune Editorial

Salt Lake Tribune
Updated:10/23/2009 06:26:48 PM MDT

When The Tribune endorsed Soren Simonsen four years ago for a seat on the Salt Lake City Council, we liked that he was a professional planner who took the long view. We believe that the confidence voters placed in him then has been rewarded, and he deserves a second term.

Simonsen represents District 7, the southeast corner of the city, including Sugar House. He has a worthy opponent in Lisa Ramsey Adams, a personable lawyer and former private guardian ad litem who says she is a good listener and can work well with other council members. But her platform does not differ significantly from his, except perhaps her emphasis on crime, and we see no compelling reason for voters to abandon Simonsen's hard-won experience in office for a newcomer who would pursue the same or similar goals.

Besides, Simonsen's professional expertise as an architect and urban planner is valuable to the council as it wrestles with issues like Sugar House redevelopment, the proposed Sugar House trolley line, monster homes and traffic pressures.

For example, he proposes tweaking the city's demolition ordinance, which currently allows the wrecking ball to swing immediately after the Planning Commission has approved a project. He would change that to allow demolitions only after a building permit has been issued. Had such a policy been in place, several sites that now are empty lots might still have buildings on them, including the former Granite block in the heart of Sugar House that has caused such controversy. (The rezoning of the Granite block occurred before Simonsen was in office.) He also would amend current law to disallow a landscaping plan as a viable reuse.

On the monster homes issue, he does not oppose rebuilding or adding to homes so long as the result is compatible with the neighborhood. But he does support the city allowing more historic districts, which place restrictions on materials and style, where there is a strong consensus for it among residents. Simonsen is a former chairman of the Historic Landmarks Commission.

He shares many of The Tribune's progressive policy goals, including clean air (he rides a fuel-efficient scooter around the city), advancing mass transit and its related development, and building the city's trail system. He has worked with other council members to bring those goals to fruition, taking the lead on the Sugar House trolley and Parleys trail.

Simonsen says a second term would be his last. He's earned a place in the sophomore class.

South SL urged not to obtain loan

2009-10-20T16:22:00.000-07:00

Deseret News
South S.L. urged not to obtain loan

Only $2M would be available for Market Station, study says

By Rebecca Palmer

Deseret News
Published: Monday, Oct. 19, 2009 9:44 p.m. MDT

SOUTH SALT LAKE — A third-party study commissioned by the City Council recommends against borrowing almost $10 million on behalf of the developers of Market Station.

If the city were to push forward with bonding, only about $2 million would be available, according to the study by David Wilcox Market & Feasibility Advisors. If borrowed, the money would be used to purchase land underlying the proposed development.

"Do not issue a bond or take a loan," the 19-page report reads. "The consultant does not believe adequate amortization funds are actually available to the city or agency."

The draft report has not been released to the public but it was openly considered Oct. 14 by the South Salt Lake City Council. Since that time, the Deseret News has received a copy of the findings.

The analysis points out that South Salt Lake has already invested heavily in the project. In addition to creating a tax-increment funding zone, elected officials have pledged to spend $2.5 million for the Sugarhouse Trolley Line planned to run through Market Station's center.

The initial funding for Market Station dried up when the credit market crashed about a year ago, according to developer Steve Aste. Since then, the aging buildings and worn parking lots in the project area have been untouched.

The project is slated for 9.5 acres near Main Street and 2100 South. It has been touted as a high-rise condominium development with office and retail space that will transform the city into a hotspot. Those plans have been scaled down by about 30 percent, according to the Wilcox study.

The analysis recommends that South Salt Lake seek buyers for individual parcels that make up the project area and that it get back alleyways granted to the developer at no cost. It also proposes providing incentives for new buyers rather than spending money to purchase property, as city-owned land is not on municipal tax rolls.

Mayor Bob Gray and Council Chairman Roy Turner could not be reached Monday for comments on the report.

Meanwhile, Aste has called many of the figures in the study inaccurate. He intends to submit a line-by-line rebuttal to the council before its next meeting. Aste declined to comment on specific inaccuracies but said a timeline forecasting a possible trustees sale of the land was incorrect.

He said that irrespective of the report, council members have already made up their minds on the bonding.

Publicly, several council members have said they are undecided on whether to borrow the $10 million.

"What we're trying to do is make the project work," said Councilman Mike Rutter. "We want to do the best we can to protect ourselves and make sure this project is viable."

Aste said after last week's meeting that additional funding opportunities have opened up, easing his timeline for repaying debt.

The council will next consider the issue at its Oct. 28 meeting.

e-mail: rpalmer@desnews.com
© 2009 Deseret News Publishing Company | All rights reserved

Link to "Tiger Funding" request for SH Trolley

2009-10-06T16:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.southsaltlakecity.com/homepagemedia/Sugar%20House%20Streetcar%20TIGER%20Application%20FINAL.pdf

Developer presses South S.L. on bond

2009-10-06T15:53:00.000-07:00

Deseret News
Developer presses South S.L. on bond

By Rebecca Palmer

Deseret News
Published: Monday, Oct. 5, 2009 10:31 p.m. MDT

SOUTH SALT LAKE — The City Council here has until mid-October to decide whether it will borrow $9.5 million on behalf of Market Station developer Steve Aste.

The developer has told the council that he is under financial pressure to secure funding for the proposed $500 million project between Main Street and State Street near 2100 South. But contrary to statements by city officials, the developer denies that his project is in foreclosure.

The proposed $9.5 million bonding would go toward purchase of the underlying property.

Private funding for the 16-acre mixed-use project fell away with the housing crash and resulting economic recession, Aste said.

If built, Market Station will include a 27-story condominium building, prime office space and about 18,000 feet of retail capacity. It would center around the planned Sugar House trolley line, which would connect this industrial suburb to Salt Lake City.

"Long-term, this is a great thing for the city economically and otherwise," Aste said. "We think this goes a long way to solving a lot of issues within the city."

The City Council wants to save the project, but it is waiting on an independent analysis from Market and Feasibility Advisors before it makes a decision on the $9.5 million bond.

"I don't have a lot of warm fuzzies about it," said council member Shane Siwik. "I'm optimistic that the project could eventually be a great boon for the city, but this, to me, is an absolute last resort."

If the elected officials don't approve the bond, Aste committed to move forward with the project using private money.

Meanwhile, outgoing South Salt Lake Mayor Bob Gray has held off on voicing an opinion about the bond. However, his office has been working with Aste on several different financing methods, he said.

If Market Station ultimately fails, the city is pursuing deals with other developers to revitalize the property.

One of those options is an apartment/condominium development on 6.6 acres of the Market Station land. The council has tabled proposals for a bond for that plan, waiting for a decision on the Aste proposal.

The council next plans to discuss the bond at its Oct. 14 meeting. If council members fail to decide then, a special meeting could be held in order to accommodate Aste's time line.

e-mail: rpalmer@desnews.com
© 2009 Deseret News Publishing Company | All rights reserved

South Salt Lake holds off on bond proposal

2009-09-24T16:18:00.000-07:00

South Salt Lake holds off on bond proposal

By Rosemary Winters

The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 09/23/2009 10:05:22 PM MDT

South Salt Lake » City officials here are slowing down on a developer's request for a $9.5 million bond to speed development next to the planned Sugar House streetcar.

On Wednesday, the South Salt Lake City Council agreed to wait until an outside consultant, David Wilcox of Market & Feasibility Advisors, can study the proposal. Market Station developer Steve Aste had hoped for a decision by the end of this month.

"It's not acceptable," Aste said after the meeting. "The timelines don't work."

Aste envisions a bustling $500 million housing, shopping and office center along Main Street between 2100 South and 2300 South.

But the project has been delayed a couple of years -- Market Station celebrated a "groundbreaking" in spring 2008 but has had no major construction since then. Aste and his partners have asked the city to issue a $9.5 million bond so that the project can avoid foreclosure on nine-plus acres and buy the Skin Science building on 2100 South.

South Salt Lake Community Development Director Larry Gardner, in a memo to the City Council, said city staff is "not comfortable at this point" in recommending a bond. He noted Wilcox has, initially, expressed "skepticism" about the proposal.

The council agreed to consider the matter at its Oct. 28 meeting.

In other action, the council voted unanimously to pursue a $20,000 to $40,000 structural analysis of the four buildings
Advertisement
at Granite High School. The city, possibly in partnership with Salt Lake County, is interested in acquiring the shuttered, century-old campus for a community center and green space.

rwinters@sltrib.com

Trolley On KSL TV

2009-09-02T16:15:00.000-07:00

Street car proposal closer to being a reality
August 31st, 2009 @ 5:05pm
By Richard Piatt

SUGAR HOUSE -- Sugar House is far from its potential these days. A stalled project in the heart of the neighborhood has deflated morale a bit.

But At Omar's Rawtopia restaurant---one of the few places offering nothing but raw food--there is a spark of hope at word of street cars coming to the area.

"I think it's a very good idea to have public transportation to bring people here," restaurant owner Omar Abou-Ismail said.

Salt Lake City officials are using Portland, Ore., as a guide to shape the idea for Sugar House. City officials traveled there to get a firsthand look last week.
What is… the Portland Streetcar?
Portland Streetcars began running in July, 2001. Today they run on an 8-mile continuous loop averaging close to 12,000 boardings per day. The streetcars, which carry up to 140 passengers, run approximately every 12 minutes Monday through Saturday. There are 46 stops located about every 3-4 blocks. The cars are about 8 feet wide and 66 feet long (a typical light rail car is 75 to 95 feet long). They operate as single cars, never couple into trains and are not separated from traffic or given traffic-signal priority, except for certain turns. This amounts to longer travel times. Prices run from $.95 to $2.00 outside the free far zone. Construction of a second line is due to begin soon. -Portland Streetcar
Mayor Ralph Becker says it was a valuable excursion, seeing an $80 million investment that has sparked $3 billion worth of development. He says he's glad he saw it in person.

"There's a reality that you get that is much different than you would get if you were reading it in a report," Becker said.

In Salt Lake City, the street car line would run from the TRAX station at 2100 South, east to Sugar House. The alignment is around 2225 South, near Sugarmont Avenue, and would end at Highland Avenue.

To pay for it, Salt Lake City is pushing for federal stimulus grants and to create a public-private partnership. The total cost would be between $45 million and $50 million, but the payoff could bring something greater.

"The city is making an important infrastructure development that's going to spur returns on that investment," Becker said.

"After the buildings are built and the stores are up and running, it could be back to normal; and the tracks could help bring Sugar House back to life," Abou-Ismail said.

If the city is able to get the funding together, construction could begin next year and cars could be running as soon as 2012.

E-mail: rpiatt@ksl.com

Salt Lake leaders sold on Portland streetcar system

2009-08-29T16:27:00.000-07:00

Salt Lake leaders sold on Portland streetcar system

By Aaron Falk

Deseret News

Published: Friday, Aug. 28, 2009 6:40 p.m. MDT

After a day of riding the streetcar line in Portland, Ore., Philip Blomquist was sold.

The Salt Lake retailer owns two bike shops near a planned streetcar line in Sugar House, and if the Oregon model gives any indication, business could boom.

"I would never have believed it if I hadn't seen it firsthand," Blomquist said after a day of touring Portland's Pearl District. "You would be amazed how it has revitalized this part of the city."

Blomquist was one of a handful of Salt Lake retailers, developers and city officials to tour the streetcar line and meet with their Portland counterparts Friday.

As Salt Lake leaders work on funding the $46 million project, drumming up support of business owners and developers along the line is equally critical in the city's success, said redevelopment agency director D.J. Baxter.

In Portland, officials have turned a $55 million, 2 1/2-mile stretch of track into $3.5 billion in private investment over the past eight years, Baxter said.

Those numbers aside, the before-and-after pictures of Portland's Pearl District had Blomquist and others hopeful about what a similar line could mean for them.

"It's opened our eyes and given us hope for the future," he said.

The planned line would run from the 2100 South TRAX station to the old Granite Furniture building in Sugar House.

The slow-moving streetcar would stop more frequently than a TRAX train, increasing foot traffic to stores along the line, Baxter said.

Right now, city leaders are hoping to land a $35 million slice of the federal stimulus package to help pay for the Sugar House line. If they are successful in grabbing that money, the line could be up and running by early 2012.

For Craig Mecham, the sooner the better.

Mecham, who owns the vacant lot at the corner of Highland and 2100 South, said he believes the streetcar line would mean more shoppers and better transit for the businesses and residents he hopes will one day occupy a mixed-use development there. But faced with a slumping economy, Mecham's project has stalled.

"Our project right now, like others, is on hold," he said. "We're waiting to see the whites of their eyes in terms of the economy. We don't see that yet. But we think (the streetcar) will certainly speed up the process."

e-mail: afalk@desnews.com

South Salt Lake pledges Support

2009-08-27T16:53:00.000-07:00

S. Salt Lake joins capital's bid for streetcar cash

The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated: 08/27/2009 04:32:30 PM MDT

South Salt Lake has agreed to pony up $2.5 million if the federal government pitches in $35 million to build the Sugar House streetcar.

Last week, Salt Lake City also approved a $2.5 million match -- the other half of a required local pledge -- to snatch a "TIGER" grant, part of federal stimulus funds.

The money would cover the bulk of the cost of the $46 million, two-mile rail line, connecting a TRAX station at 2100 South and 250 West to the Sugar House business district.

Grant recipients are expected to be announced in January. If Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake score the funds, the streetcar could be completed in early 2012.

Rosemary Winters

More info on Savannah's low cost streetcar

2009-07-09T16:40:00.000-07:00

http://www.heritagetrolley.com/planSavannah.htm

http://www.heritagetrolley.com/images/SavannahStreetcarPresentation.pdf

Savannah opens trolley line for less than $1Million

2009-06-24T21:36:00.001-07:00

20 December 2008

Savannah:
Hybrid "wireless" streetcar line makes debut

Savannah, Georgia — A short, somewhat experimental streetcar tourist line made its debut earlier this month, running along an approximately one-mile (1.6 km) single-track line through a restaurant and tourist district adjacent to the Savannah River. The line serves River Street, a former industrial corridor converted into a more upscale recreational, retail, and restaurant area.

The lines's single streetcar (a converted heritage-type car from Melbourne, Australia) was rolled out to participated in Savannah’s Climate Action Parade on River Street on December 9th. On Dec. 13th, the public were invited to take a free test ride on the new line.
[Photo: WSAV-TV]

According to an article in Rail Transit Online (December 2008), the retired Melbourne W5 streetcar, over 70 years old, has been fitted with an on-board biodiesel generator to supply electricity to the traction motors, somewhat similar to the propulsion configuration used on several other lines, such as one in Galveston. Typically, with these kinds of low-cost systems, project managers have sought to avoid the expense and logistical aspects of overhead contact systems (OCS) for supplying power. However, project designers envision eventual conversion to conventional OCS power distribution. According to news reports, the 47-foot-long (14.3-m) car seats about 50 and will accommodate another 50 standing passengers.

The entire project, under the direction of TranSystems, cost about $1 million, including almost $600,000 to buy the right-of-way, $100,000 for engineering and $207,000 for TranSystems to restore the car in Pennsylvania. Rail Transit Online notes that "Savannah has a long history of street railways, with the first horse cars starting operation in 1869 followed in 1890 by electric trolleys. The system closed on Aug. 26, 1946."

The official line opening is scheduled to take place in January.

channel 13 tv

2009-06-11T09:19:00.000-07:00

http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-slc-south-salt-lake-mayors-working-on,0,7461223.story

SSLC council resolution in favor of Streetcar

2009-06-09T10:13:00.000-07:00

A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SALT LAKE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR
ADOPTING A LOCALLY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE FOR THE UTAH
TRANSIT AUTHORITY (UTA) TO EXTEND TRANSIT OPTIONS WITHIN
THE SUGAR HOUSE TRANSIT CORRIDOR
WHEREAS, the Utah Transit Authority (“UTA”) is a public transit district,
which presently owns and operates a high capacity rail fixed guideway system serving
portions of the Salt Lake Valley; and
WHEREAS, this rail fixed guideway system has been a major success with
ridership substantially exceeding pre-construction projections and public sentiment
strongly supporting rapid expansion of high capacity fixed guideway systems; and
WHEREAS, UTA proposes to expand fixed guideway systems to include, among
other things, a 3-mile rail fixed guideway system from the Sugar House community of
Salt Lake City to the City of South Salt Lake, as more particularly described herein (the
“Sugar House Transit Corridor”); and
WHEREAS, UTA purchased an existing railroad right of way within the Sugar
House Transit Corridor from Union Pacific in 2002, anticipating the future need for light
rail transit expansion within Salt Lake City; and
WHEREAS, Salt Lake City’s Sugar House Community Master Plan (adopted
December 13, 2005, Ordinance 89 of 2005) explicitly identifies in its ‘Business District
Goals and Objectives’ the theme of “directing development to be transit and pedestrian
oriented”; and
WHEREAS, the Sugar House Community Master Plan explicitly states in its
‘Multi-modal Priorities’ that future land use patterns in Sugar House should support
the implementation of mass transit throughout the community; and
WHEREAS, the Sugar House Community Master Plan explicitly states support
for the construction of “rail along the Sugar House rail corridor and determine locations
for future transit stations and park and ride facilities within the Sugar House Business
District”; and
WHEREAS, current planning efforts within the Sugar House Transit Corridor
such as the Market Station Development (South Salt Lake) and the Granite Block (Salt
Lake City) development area have anticipated the extension of rail transit along the
existing UTA owned right of way; and
WHEREAS, the Sugar House residential and business communities have
demonstrated interest and grass roots support for a surface rail alternative to improve
mobility and enhance economic opportunities within the area; and
WHEREAS, the expansion of transit alternatives via the UTA right of way in the
Sugar House Transit Corridor has been reviewed and approved as part of the Wasatch
Front Regional Council 2007-2030 Transportation Master Plan, (May 2007); and
WHEREAS, construction and operation of a fixed guideway transit system in the
Sugar House Transit Corridor will reduce reliance on the private automobile, improve air
quality, reduce the growth of vehicle miles traveled, and support the objectives of the
Wasatch Front Regional Council’s Regional Transportation Plan; and
WHEREAS, Salt Lake City and the City of South Salt Lake (the “City
Sponsors”) along with UTA, commissioned a study of public transportation alternatives
within the Sugar House Transit Corridor (the “Alternatives Analysis”); and
WHEREAS, prior to conducting the Alternatives Analysis, the City Sponsors
agreed upon a list of criteria to be considered to help guide the decision to determine the
proper public transportation alternative to operate within the Sugar House Transit
Corridor; and
WHEREAS, the criteria include: (1) the public transit conveyance operating
within the corridor should serve the needs of citizens living and working along the
corridor by promoting “walkable neighborhoods” where citizens can conveniently use
public transit; (2) it should provide stations or boarding platforms at a maximum spacing
of two blocks; (3) it should provide a low-speed system in which vehicles travel at speeds
not to exceed 25 to 30 miles per hour; (4) it should utilize conventional signals at street
and highway crossings that can also accommodate pedestrian crossings; (5) it should use
noise reducing technology; and (6) it should include a landscaped, multi-use trail at least
15-feet-wide throughout the entire corridor to serve as a parkway that increases beauty,
enhances socialization and contributes to the walkable nature of the surrounding
neighborhoods; (7) it should make a complete transit-to-transit connection from the 200
West Station on the North-South TRAX line to other mass transit options, including highfrequency
buses and future transit modes along the 1100 East/Highland Drive and 1300
East Street traffic corridors; and
WHEREAS, the federally required Alternatives Analysis is now complete, and
Salt Lake City has reviewed the Sugar House Transit Corridor Alternatives Study Final
Report, dated January 2008, and finds that it complies with the criteria established by the
City Sponsors and accepts its analysis of impacts, costs, environmental constraints, and
ridership; and
WHEREAS, Salt Lake City Transportation Master Plan Rail Transit Corridors
Map updated in July 2006 identifies the Sugar House area as a potential transit corridor;
and
WHEREAS, the Sugar House line will be a community level streetcar line and
would better serve the transit-friendly Sugar House District, parallel a portion of one of
UTA’s best performing bus routes, and provide an east-west connection with the West
Valley Line and a direct connection to the main north-south light rail line; and
WHEREAS, Salt Lake City understands that more specific environmental issues
will be reviewed, evaluated, and addressed during subsequent design and engineering
phases of the project as well as the final terminus of the line and at that time more
specific mitigation measures related to specific impacts will be determined; and
WHEREAS, Salt Lake City believes that this proposed project best meets the
needs of the City as a whole, and is in the best interest of the public health, safety, and
welfare of the City; and
WHEREAS, at its meeting on Monday 3 December 2007, the Salt Lake City
Transportation Advisory Board approved a motion supporting the findings and
recommendations of the Sugar House Transit Corridor Alternatives Analysis for a
modern rail streetcar along the existing UTA-owned right of way within Salt Lake City
and South Salt Lake City, and
WHEREAS, at its meeting on Wednesday 13 February 2008, the Salt Lake City
Planning Commission approved a motion supporting the findings and recommendations
of the Sugar House Transit Corridor Alternatives Analysis for a modern rail streetcar
along the existing UTA-owned right of way within Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake
City; and
WHEREAS, at its meeting on January 23, 2008, the City Council of South Salt
Lake City approved a motion supporting the findings and recommendations of the Sugar
House Transit Corridor Alternatives Analysis for a modern rail streetcar along the
existing UTA owned right of way within Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake City.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Salt Lake City Council and Mayor as
follows:
1. Locally Preferred Alternative. That the proposed construction of the rail
fixed guideway system for purposes of operating a modern rail streetcar along the
existing UTA owned right of way within Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake City,
identified in the Sugar House Transit Corridor Alternatives Study Final Report, dated
January 2008, is endorsed and approved by the Salt Lake City Council and Mayor as the
Locally Preferred Alternative.
2. Effective Date. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon
its passage.

SL Trib 5-29-09

2009-06-09T10:09:00.000-07:00

Sugar House streetcar? It may be closer to reality than you think

By Derek P. Jensen

The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated: 05/29/2009 10:20:22 PM MDT

Click photo to enlarge

Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker talks about a new... (Steve Griffin / The Salt Lake Tribune)

A slow-sliding streetcar connecting Sugar House with TRAX could be ferrying passengers in three years, and the line eventually may swing north to Westminster College and the University of Utah.

In a status update Friday, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, South Salt Lake Mayor Bob Gray and Utah Transit Authority board member Keith Bartholomew stood on the corner of McClelland Street and Sugarmont Drive -- the initial end of the line -- to announce the $40 million to $50 million project is "on or ahead of schedule."

The two cities and UTA will spend the next year deciding whether to pursue federal dollars or local funding, followed by a two-year construction timeline. The planned streetcar, stopping every two blocks,

Sugar House streetcar

would run along a two-mile stretch of 2300 South between the Central Pointe TRAX station on 200 West and McClelland at 1045 East. Blueprints call for enough space alongside the streetcar for a pedestrian and bicycle trail.

"We want this to be a valley project," said Gray, predicting the car will salve congestion in Sugar House and South Salt Lake. "Something that will pull the community and entire valley together."

A 2007 study estimated daily ridership on the line at 2,300 people. The construction plan includes a single track -- a streetcar would appear every 15 minutes -- with potential for a double track if demand increases.

UTA completed a preliminary review last year that concluded streetcars, rather than light

rail or historic trolleys, were the best option.

Salt Lake City Councilman Soren Simonsen, who joined the mayors Friday, said the line someday could extend east to neighborhoods hugging the Sugar House business district as well as north to Westminster and the U.

"It will be fantastic," said Scott Clark, who owns a vehicle-detailing and storage shop within earshot of the final stop across from Fairmont Park. "All the Sugar House businesses should benefit."

Bartholomew also told a neighbor who stopped by the news conference on her bicycle that the streetcar's impact on property values would be "substantially positive."

"You might think of this as your alternative 401(k)," he said.

The officials predicted an uptick in commercial development along the line, noting retail density tends to follow streetcars in cities such as San Diego and Portland, Ore. And Bartholomew said the addition could transform the surrounding neighborhoods into "some of the most exciting in the region."

In two weeks, Becker plans to sponsor a resolution at the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Providence, R.I., calling on Congress to streamline the funding process for streetcars nationwide. Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, already has placed a cash request for the Sugar House project.

"We're hoping," Becker said, "that Congress will accelerate the investments."

djensen@sltrib.com

KSL TV

2009-06-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

Sugar House and SSL could soon have a streetcar line

May 29th, 2009 @ 3:48pm

SUGAR HOUSE -- It's a blast from the past, but it's now the wave of the future. A streetcar line could run through Sugar House and South Salt Lake in the next few years.

"Streetcars have become really popular among cities, and we are seeing that as a mode of transportation that can serve a lot of our communities in cities across the country," said Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker.

It's like TRAX but different, in that it is a slow-speed transit system and the car makes many more stops. Usually, streetcars run through neighborhoods, giving people easy access to stores and businesses.

The Sugar House Street Car project is a two-mile rail line, running east and west, that would connect the Sugar House area with the TRAX stop in center of the valley. The new line would run along Sugarmont Drive, stopping every two blocks or so.

"This streetcar line will eliminate a lot of the congestion that's going on both in Sugar House and in the South Salt Lake area," explained South Salt Lake Mayor Bob Gray.

Such a system has been studied in Utah for a number of years. This project is a joint effort between Salt Lake and South Salt Lake, along with the Utah Transit Authority, which owns the corridor where the streetcars will run.

The corridor will be pedestrian and bike friendly as well -- Parley's Trail will be extended along the route -- and it could be a reality soon.

Becker says he's sponsoring a resolution two weeks from now at the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Providence, R.I.

"It urges Congress and the federal government to move quickly to invest properly and devote the resources to streamline the decision making for streetcars in the United States," Becker explained.

He continued, "We are really progressing on a rapid pace, and we anticipate -- and this is a rough estimate-- but we really anticipate that if we keep moving along as we have, that within a year we'll be ready with decisions to move forward with the final design and construction of the streetcar line."

Once started, the project could take two years to finish. This community used to have a streetcar, so it's already built for one.

UTA expects the streetcar system could get at least 2,300 riders a day. They believe it will cost $40 million to $50 million to construct.

------

Story compiled with contributions from Mary Richards and Keith McCord.

SL TRIB Editorial- Good Idea just not now

2009-06-09T09:43:00.001-07:00

Streetcar desire

Now's not the time for Sugar House

Tribune Editorial

Updated: 06/08/2009 03:37:45 PM MDT

Local officials are gung-ho to build a $40 million streetcar line that would connect Sugar House to the main TRAX line. We like what rail has done and is doing for mass transit in the Salt Lake Valley, but we still have doubts about this project.

The streetcar seems like an obvious thing to do for a couple of reasons. First, the Utah Transit Authority already owns a railroad right of way that runs the two-mile length of the route at about 2300 South. The line would connect to TRAX at the Central Pointe Station just south of 2100 South between 200 West and 300 West. The east terminus would be 1045 E. Sugarmont Dr. (2225 South), in the neighborhood of the former Granite Furniture store.

Second, that right of way, an old freight line that once served the furniture store (remember the jingle "Granite's on the railroad track"?) would accommodate both track for the new trolley and an urban trail for bicycles and walkers. It crosses several major north-south streets, but TRAX has proved that probably would not be a problem.

The new service, described as a modern trolley car, would move relatively slowly on a single track and stop about every two blocks. It would run every 15 minutes during peak service, linking Sugar House, a retail and recreation center (think of Sugar House Park) to the rest of the valley.

It also would relieve automobile traffic on busy 2100 South and encourage further commercial development both along the corridor and in

Sugar House itself.

That all sounds great. But is it worth $40 million? The funding source has not been nailed down.

According to the UTA's own study, capital investment for expanded bus service on 2100 South would cost only $10 million. The streetcar would cost $37 million. Buses are more expensive to operate, but you could run expanded bus service for 26 years on the difference in capital cost between buses and the streetcar.

TRAX has shown that Utahns will ride trains when they won't ride buses. That might be another point in the streetcar's favor, except that Utah doesn't have experience with a slow-moving streetcar system. We would hate for the Sugar House streetcar to turn out to be an expensive failed novelty, especially when UTA is straining to get the remainder of the TRAX and FrontRunner systems built and operating. To our eyes, those are the obvious top priorities, and they will require operating subsidies going forward.

In that context, a Sugar House streetcar seems like a stretch that perhaps should be postponed until the higher-priority projects are up and running for a while.

First News Article about SH Trolley

2008-08-02T15:01:00.000-07:00

This is a copy of the first article that was written about the SH Trolley.

It isn't very favorable
********
Deseret News (Salt Lake City) > May 16, 2003 > Article > Print friendly

Man dreams of Sugar House trolley

Stephen SpeckmanDeseret News staff writer

If one man has his way, vegetable oil commonly used in the kitchen could one day help power a trolley between the 2100 South TRAX light- rail station and Sugar House. To some, however, it's just wishful thinking.

Salt Lake City resident Doug White wants to buy at least two 1950s- era German hybrid rail trolleys for $60,000 each from a railroad company, ship the cars from Berlin and run them through the Utah Transit Authority's 1.8-mile rail corridor between about 250 West and 1100 East.

The 56-person capacity German cars would run two-thirds cleaner than a typical diesel-powered trolley -- and without sulfur emissions, he said. Although, at about eight miles per gallon of vegetable oil, it's not the most fuel-efficient ride.

White made his pitch recently to the Sugar House Community Council.

Critics, including the Utah Transit Authority, are already saying that safety, liability and overall logistics issues make the plan almost impossible to implement.

Community Council chairwoman Helen Peters called it a "romantic" idea, one that needs some fuel of its own.

"I think that there are a lot of challenges to work through, especially with no venture capital," she said.

White's plan is to form a nonprofit company, Sugar House Trolley, and raise the $2 million he thinks it will take to get the project up and running. Some track would need to be added and existing tracks would need to be retrofitted. Several new crossing arms would be needed at each intersection on the route.

UTA general manager John Inglish said White is "way off the mark" in terms of start-up costs and that for a variety of reasons, the idea is "just not realistic." Getting across State and 700 East are just two major challenges.

"He's thinking of a world gone by when you could have done this. . . but not this day and age," Inglish said.

Regulations imposed by the Public Service Commission could further complicate things for White.

There are currently no plans to bring light rail into Sugar House before 2030. Efforts are under way right now just to get Sugar House on the Wasatch Front Regional Council's 2030 plan for future transit projects. Several planned or proposed rail and road projects throughout Utah are already in line for finite federal funds.

White said that if the $2 million in donations he needs for his trolley system were to show up tomorrow, he says he can get the cars running in seven months.

"It's not going to be a huge operation," said White, who works for a satellite TV company. "It's going to be a functional commuter (service) with tourist appeal."

Union Pacific "threw in" the Sugar House corridor as part of UTA's deal last year to purchase 175 miles of right-of-way. Getting light rail in that corridor, Inglish said, is less of a priority than maybe a trail system in the same area.

"Even that has its difficulties," he said.

Mike Allegra, UTA's director of transit development, said he encourages people coming up with ideas for use of alternative technologies in transit. Already, UTA is using new fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly diesel/electric hybrid buses in its fleet.

A Sugar House trolley, White said, would be slower than TRAX light rail but would have more stops on its route and therefore better serve the community. He has set up an e-mail address, sugarhousetrolley@yahoo.com, to gather public comment.

E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com

Jan 23 , 2008 SSL city council favors streetcar

2008-07-25T11:32:00.000-07:00

1. A resolution of the City of South Salt Lake City Council adopting a locally preferred alternative for the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) to extend transit options within the Sugar House Transit Corridor. Mr. Carlson explained that South Salt Lake and Salt Lake City discussed that it might be to their mutual advantage if they could restore some kind of public transportation system within the Sugar House Spur with all the development that’s occurring in the Sugar House area and the Market Station development in South Salt Lake. Neither was excited about light rail because it goes through a community but does not serve a community. So they looked for a mode of transportation that would utilize the Sugar House Spur and provide a benefit to the communities along the way. The mode of transportation the two cities agreed on were as follows: a mode of transportation that operated at a slow speed, that made frequent stops so the people in the community could use it, that would accommodate an urban linear park (Parley’s Trail), that there would be safe and standardized pedestrian crossings, would require broad local support, different funding options and would promote transit to transit connections. We envision it connecting with the north/south TRAX lines and connecting with north/south bus routes and transportation routes in the Sugar House area. They approached UTA with this idea. UTA has been very supportive of the project. The City Councils of Salt Lake and South Salt Lake entered into an interlocal agreement to do an alternative analysis to study the issue of whether a new mode of public transportation is needed between South Salt Lake and Sugarhouse, what would be the preferred alignment for that mode of transportation and what kind of conveyance would be most appropriate. Fehr and Peers has conducted a thorough study. The public process has been quite intensive. We’ve had stake holder committees that have represented a lot of the interests, the cities, and community members. What Fehr and Peers have concluded is that the potential for rider ship between South Salt Lake and Sugar House does warrant public investment in a public transportation system.

They have concluded that the preferable alternate is to use the existing Sugar House Spur Corridor. They also concluded that the preferred mode of conveyance is a modern street car. It operates at grade level so there’s no platform necessary for boarding. It’s easier for people with wheelchairs, strollers and bicycles. It generally moves at 30 miles per hour. It is much more suited to the criteria the cities established. If the Council passes this resolution it signals that the City of South Salt Lake supports the conclusions the engineers reached in this study and becomes another stepping stone toward getting federal funding to complete the project. The next step is to do an environmental impact statement which will look at the impacts a street car system would have on the neighborhoods through which it passes. The City will have to come up with some more funding for the environmental impact statement.

There was some discussion among the Council on which type of conveyance would be best for the area, a bus rapid transit system or a modern street car.

After discussion Council Member Weaver moved to approve the resolution adopting the locally preferred alternative for the Utah Transit Authority to extend transit options within the Sugar House Spur.

MOTION: John Weaver
SECOND: LeRoy Turner
Roll Call Vote:
Brusch Aye
Fitts Aye
Goddard Aye
Rutter Nay
Siwik Aye
Turner Aye
Weaver Aye

SLC Council votes for SH Trolley

2008-07-25T11:21:00.000-07:00

Salt Lake Trib

Sugar House
Council votes 5-0 to run streetcar along 2300 South
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 07/24/2008 12:37:03 AM MDT
In a 5-0 vote, the City Council adopted a joint resolution with Mayor Ralph Becker to forge ahead with a low-speed Sugar House streetcar to be funded by the capital, Utah Transit Authority and South Salt Lake. After an environmental study, the plan calls for a streetcar to run along a two-mile stretch of 2300 South between UTA's Central Pointe station on 200 West and Highland Drive's Granite Block development. The public trolley will stop every two blocks. The city plans to preserve enough space alongside the street car for a pedestrian and bicycle trail. "I don't anticipate this will change bus service along 2100 South," Councilman Soren Simonsen said. -
Derek P. Jensen

KCPW , 22 May 2008

2008-06-01T20:48:00.000-07:00

Becker Meets With Transportation Officials in Washington

May 22, 2008 by Jeff Robinson

(KCPW News) This week, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker met with top government transportation officials in Washington, DC, in his effort to get federal funding for the airport TRAX line and a proposed Sugar House trolley line. The mayor said it was a great opportunity to show federal officials that Salt Lake City is on the leading edge of public transit.

"It was a real opportunity for Salt Lake and for Utah to talk about what we're doing with our transit service," said Becker. "We live here, we don't always see this, but it's really groundbreaking nationally; the investment we're making in rail, the improvements we're making all up and down the Wasatch Front."

The mayor said he got good feedback but noted that it will take a lot of time before federal funding comes through. He spoke with officials at the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Federal Transit Administration, and a House subcommittee on transportation.

KCPW April 2008

2008-05-31T21:15:00.000-07:00

Sugar House Trolley Project On the Move

Apr 03, 2008 by Elizabeth Ziegler

(KCPW News) Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker's campaign promise to bring trolleys back to Sugar House could move closer to reality next week. Becker says a study conducted over the winter determined a trolley line is the best transit solution for the neighborhood.

"We are moving ahead very, very aggressively to get that line, finish studies on that line and to move into construction," Becker says.

The $40 million project is more affordable than extending TRAX to Sugar House, he says. And trolleys travel at slower speeds and make more stops than light-rail, he says. The trolleys would use an existing rail corridor that skirts the South Salt Lake City boundary, at roughly 2100 South, and connects to the North-South TRAX Line at State Street.

"That corridor serves a lot of people, both in South Salt Lake City and in Sugarhouse. It would help relieve congestion. And the more people we have in transit, the more we are helping improve air quality and the long-range issue with climate change," Becker says.

The city's Redevelopment Agency will decide April 8 whether to fund a portion of the environmental impact study for the project. The request asks the RDA to contribute between $33,000 and $100,000 for the study. The other partners in the project, the UTA and South Salt Lake City, have each agreed to pay a third of the $300,000 study.

Valley Journal April 2008

2008-05-31T09:34:00.000-07:00

Mayor requests funding
for Sugar House
trolley line
By David Jensen
In the wake of a favorable public response to constructing a trolley
line around Sugar House and South Salt Lake, Mayor Ralph Becker is
submitting an application for a $1 million federal grant for planning and
start-up of the line.
The cost of the entire trolley line project is estimated to be
around $36 million. Becker hopes the initial $1 million will be funded
by the Federal Transit Administrationʼs discretionary New Starts
program. This program is a prelude to actual construction of the line
and has three phases: an alternatives analysis study, a preliminary
engineering study and a fi nal design phase.
The alternatives analysis was completed last October to help determine
transportation alternative to automobile traffi c through the area. This phase
when local decision makers decided on a preferred alternative. The results
included public input, revealed that a trolley line was the most popular and
Proponents agreed that a trolley line would be more neighborhood-oriented and
the Sugar House area.
engineering study involves estimates of project costs, benefi ts and impacts. This
environmental impact statement to certify that there will be no adverse environmental
fi nal design process where design specifi cations and construction plans are
tra
d w
h i
one
he
nee
nvir
ronmental effects.
The third phase is the final
a public
was completed
of this study, which
feasible option. Propo
match the character of th
The preliminary engin
phase includes fi ling an en
effects
Sugar House may enjoy the clang, clang of the
trolley in the not-too-distant future.
File photo.
Continued page 16 “Trolley”

Desnews May 2008

2008-05-31T09:23:00.000-07:00

A desire named 'street car'

Deseret News editorial

Published: May 18, 2008

Say "street car" and people think of the Tennessee Williams play or picture San Francisco's little cable cars "climbing halfway to the stars" — spewing Rice-A-Roni into the air as they go along.

In other words, there's something antiquated and charming in the notion of street cars. We miss them the way we fondly remember passenger trains.

Now, Salt Lake City, Ogden and other cities around the West are hoping to climb back on board again with street car systems.

In his recent budget, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker said he was setting aside $100,000 so the city could partner with South Salt Lake and the Utah Transit Authority to get things rolling for Sugar House street cars. He said he didn't know the final form of the thing — it might even be quaint and antique — though chances are it would look more like the sleek, modernistic versions found in Miami and Birmingham, Ala. When told the city already had the historical Trolley Square where the things could be housed, Becker mused that driving the things 20 blocks out of the way might be asking a bit too much.

Still, as Utahns cut back on buying gas (consumption is down 20 percent), it means other ways of getting around must come into high relief. And street cars seem to fill the bill.

In a nation where everything old tends to become new again, the idea of street cars moving about the city streets sounds both historic and futuristic at the same time — which isn't a bad motto for city planners to follow.

The appeal of the cars is they are lighter and share the road with cars. They are energy-efficient. And the street cars have a positive image in the minds of shoppers, retailers and city leaders. They feel "human friendly." At last count, more than two dozen American cities had installed them.

And so far, the track record for street cars is impressive. According to USA Today, Little Rock's trolleys have been so successful that an expansion was called for. Portland's Pearl District is now known for its street cars. And in Tucson, the street cars are now a part of local lore Old Town.

In short, now is a good time for Utah to join the trend.

Thanks and Good Bye

2007-12-18T23:16:00.000-08:00

The SugarHouse Trolley Association is now history.
It has been a fun 7 years of meeting with the community to add some great benefits to our community.
I was a lighting rod that attracted alot of interest both positive and negative for the idea of Trolley to connect SSL to SugarHouse.

D.

SugarHouse Transit Alternatives Study

2007-11-19T10:29:00.000-08:00

The latest I have heard is that the Engineering Firm, Fehr & Peers, has completed its work on the study. At some point it will be formally presented to the 2 city councils of Salt Lake and South Salt Lake. They will review it and then choose the official "Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA)".
They may choose the streetcar/trolley option or might select something entirely different.

Streetcar/Trolley is the Locally Preferred Alternative

2007-10-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

Valley Journal October 2007
UTA looking at improved transit in South Salt Lake

By Josh McFadden
Some big transportation changes
could soon be coming to South Salt
Lake, and residents will have influence
over what eventually happens.
The Utah Transit Authority is conducting
a traffic study along the Sugar
House corridor, the area between 1700
South and I-80 and from the TRAX line
to 1300 East. UTA is considering a number
of options to relieve traffic congestion
and has given local residents opportunities
to voice their feelings.
“There are plans for growth and population
here,” said G.J. Labonty, project
manager with Fehr and Peers, a consulting
firm that is conducting the study for
UTA. “We won’t do this against the will
of the people. This has been an open

process. We want to come to reasonable
conclusions.”
In April, UTA held an open house at
the Columbus Center. The three-hour
session showed visitors what the traffic
study would entail, what the existing
conditions along the corridor looked like
and what changes UTA was considering.
A second open house was held in Sugar
House on July 12.
Visitors to the open houses responded
to what forms of transit they would
most prefer to see in the corridor. UTA
is considering a bus rapid transit service,
a system where buses would operate at
lower speeds with greater frequency.
These busses would also drive in a rightof-
way lane. A second option is expanding
routes along 2100 South. Other al

alternatives
include a streetcar/trolley line
in the corridor and an additional TRAX
line. Of the four options, the trolley line
would be the most costly at $36.7 million.
The 2100 South bus line would be
the cheapest, with a construction cost of
$9.8 million.
At a September South Salt Lake City
Council meeting, Labonty presented the
results from the open houses.
“The locally preferred alternative
is a streetcar,” he said. “People like the
lower speeds. This is a very localized
corridor. The community is established
and compact. The people don’t want to
be disrupted.”
Even with the higher building costs,
not to mention the annual maintenance
costs of $1.6 million, 71 percent of the
open house respondents said they wanted
the streetcar/trolley system.
The traffic study began in January
and is expected to continue through the
end of autumn. Whatever changes are
selected, Labonty said it will be in the
best interest of the public and those that
use the corridor the most.
“UTA is supportive of this alignment,”
he said. “More people have vested
interests. What we’re about is commuters
and students.”

South Salt Lakers favor streetcar link

2007-10-09T18:39:00.000-07:00

By Cathy McKitrick The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated:09/27/2007 01:23:47 AM MDT

SOUTH SALT LAKE - A modern streetcar system - which would cost $36 million to build - emerged as the local favorite to traverse the east-west corridor connecting this central Salt Lake Valley city to the popular east-side Sugar House commercial district. And the old rail line formerly used to haul freight along 2250 South - the Utah Transit Authority now owns that 2-mile right-of-way - got best marks as the preferred route for the streetcars. Such were the preliminary findings of an alternatives analysis study conducted for UTA by Fehr and Peers, a transportation consulting firm with offices in California, Salt Lake City and Denver. At Wednesday's South Salt Lake City Council session, UTA Project Manager GJ LaBonty presented the locally preferred alternative, selected through an extended public process where many options were considered, including light-rail, streetcar, rapid bus and vintage trolleys. "We're here tonight to tell you what we came up with," LaBonty said. "Streetcar and trolley were highly favored and met most of the needs." At the urging of community leaders in South Salt Lake and Salt Lake City, UTA pursued the study in hopes of tapping federal funds to help construct the project. Early on, stakeholders from the two cities outlined the corridor's transit needs: slow speeds, frequent stops, walkability, an urban linear park, creative funding, broad community support and integration with the larger area transit system. Response from two well-attended open houses conveyed public opposition to light-rail because of its faster speeds and fewer stops. Residents also objected to diesel-powered vehicles traveling through their backyards, LaBonty said. The often-congested, narrow 2100 South - which currently serves as a UTA bus route - also failed to meet the study's criteria in terms of pedestrian orientation and room for expansion, LaBonty said. But some in attendance Wednesday spoke out against the study's recommendations. "We were told it would be a rubber-tire mode on asphalt and now it's a metal wheel on rail," said Dick Stucki, who owns property next to the old rail line. Stucki asked the council to consider installing sound walls to preserve the peace and quiet of the neighborhood. Councilman Mike Rutter extolled the virtues of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), which would cost only about $18 million to build. "I was very impressed by the rubber-tire system in Eugene [Oregon]," Rutter said, adding he had recently seen it first-hand. Council members voted to delay endorsing UTA's locally preferred alternative until the final draft of the study comes out next month. The Salt Lake City Council will need to sign on as well. If a mass-transit project has City Council support, it stands a better chance to compete for federal dollars, said David Carlson, city attorney for South Salt Lake. cmckitrick@sltrib.com * For more information, visit UTA's Web site: www.rideuta.com/projects/sugarhouseTransitStudy

New Trolley Story

2007-08-13T02:18:00.000-07:00

August 2007 Valley Journal/ SugarHouse Edition

Clang, clang, clang, goes the Trolley?

By Fred Thaller
The Sugar House Trolley Association,
a private, non-profi t group originally organized
by Doug White, has spent the last
three years trying to get a trolley approved
for Sugar House and South Salt Lake.
The group proposes to use Utah Transit
Authority’s Sugar House spur to operate a
Heritage Rail Tramway (old-fashioned trolley),
which would blend commuter service
and tourism. The trolley would run from
the 2100 South TRAX station in South Salt
Lake to the East Sugar House area.
White has spent the past seven years
on the project. Right now, he wears all the
hats, but he has volunteers who help him
part-time.
“Civil engineering students at the University
of Utah did the preliminary engineering
reports and feasibility study,” White
said. “And Westminster College business
students wrote the business plan.”
An old-fashioned trolley would match
the character and fl avor of the Sugar
House area, said White. “The well-known
McKinley Avenue Trolley in Dallas, Texas,
operates under that same structure. And it

has proven to be very popular and very
successful. It runs pretty much 24/7 in the
business district.”
He wants his non-profi t group to operate
the trolley in a partnership with UTA,
Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake, who
have commissioned a study on transportation
alternatives for the Sugar House transit
corridor: the area between 1700 South
and I-80, and from the TRAX station at
250 West to 1300 East.
“I have made arrangements with an
owner of a fully operational trolley to rent
his trolley for $1 per year,” White said. “I
just need to raise the $20,000 to $25,000
needed to ship it and its support equipment
to Utah.”
The old rail line right of way at 2250
South only extends to about 1100 East, so
the fi rst phase of the trolley project would
end there.
UTA, Salt Lake City and South Salt
Lake have sponsored several public meetings
to discuss transportation options for
the area. Information from those meetings
was used to develop a short list of three
preferred alternatives which were present-

ed for public consideration at a July 12
open house at the Sprague Library. The
preferred alternatives include TRAX,
street car or trolley and Bus Rapid
Transit.
The transportation study by Fehr
and Peers aims to identify the best route
and vehicle to move people between the
TRAX light-rail station on the west to
the Sugar House commercial district on
the east.
“Trolley and TRAX were head and
shoulders [in popularity] above the other
modes we’ve looked at,” said project
manager Robin Hutcheson.
“We’ve developed goals from what
we’ve heard so far, to provide a neighborhood
and pedestrian-friendly option for
those who live in the area, one connected
to regional modes of transit,” he said.
Part of the study is to fi nd funding
alternatives, according to UTA spokesman
Chad Saley. “We currently have
money for the study but no funding for
the project.”
UTA offi cials expect to have a locally
preferred alternative by September.

Trolley in Salt Lake Tribune, Apr 26, 07

2007-04-29T21:31:00.000-07:00

Salt Lake Tribune
South Salt Lake
East-west transit study due by early fall
The aim is to connect a light-rail station with the Sugar House commercial district
By Cathy McKitrick
The Salt Lake Tribune

Salt Lake Tribune

Article Last Updated:04/26/2007 01:04:50 AM MDT
SOUTH SALT LAKE - An east-west transit corridor study is about one-third done, a transportation consultant told members of the City Council on Wednesday.
The study, begun in February by Salt Lake City-based Fehr and Peers, aims to identify the best route and vehicle to move people between this city's light-rail station on the west to the Sugar House commercial district on the east.
That goal should be met by September, said Fehr and Peers Project Manager Robin Hutcheson.
South Salt Lake and Salt Lake City approached the Utah Transit Authority, requesting such a study be done. "That's unusual," said Hutcheson, noting the drive for the study came from the bottom up.
UTA currently owns a right of way along the old Union Pacific rail line at 2250 South. Area trail enthusiasts envision a linear park and asphalt trail running alongside the transit corridor.
To receive federal funding, the study must consider other route options as well as UTA's right of way. Hutcheson said the study encompasses the area between 1700 South and 2700 South, and the TRAX station at 250 W. 2100 South, eastward to 1300 East.
"We're also looking at build and no-build options," Hutcheson said, meaning the route options could be dismissed in favor of existing services.
UTA's bus No. 30 already services an east-west route along 2100 South, but trail and trolley enthusiasts, along with redevelopment proponents, hope for a people-mover with more appeal.
In early April, the firm held its first open house on the issue. About 80 people attended, Hutcheson said.
Of that group, 45 supported adding a new east-west transit option while seven were against it.
"Trolley and TRAX were head and shoulders above the other modes," Hutcheson said. A rapid bus, streetcars and, yes - even gondolas - are among other alternatives getting a look.
As far as route, 18 preferred the UTA right of way, seven favored 2100 South, which is becoming increasingly congested.
There was broad support for the rail-trail, noted Hutcheson.
"We've developed goals from what we've heard so far, to provide a neighborhood and pedestrian friendly option for those who live in the area, then, beyond that, a connection to regional modes of transit," Hutcheson said.
Councilman Bill Anderson asked how much weight public input actually carries, especially when UTA already owns a right of way.
"We won't build something the community doesn't want," said Mick Crandall, UTA deputy chief of planning and programming
The next open house is scheduled for July 22.
cmckitrick@slrib.com

Trolley in Valley Journal, May 2007

2007-04-28T22:43:00.000-07:00

Valley Journals

UTA may connect SSL to
Sugar House via trolley

Residents of SSL and Sugar House attend an open house
about the proposed trolley.

By Kristy Kuhn
Clang, clang, clang goes the trolley... in South Salt Lake?
Trolleys are just one of the many transportation alternatives up for consideration by the Utah Transit Authority for the Sugar House transit corridor: the area between 1700 South and I-80 and from TRAX to 1300 East.
Recently, the cities of South Salt Lake and Salt Lake City approached UTA to complete a transit study to examine the need for a major transit investment in the UTA right-of-way along 2100 South. The two cities and UTA identified six criteria required for the transit solution along this
corridor: frequent stops, low speeds, pedestrian-friendly crossings, an urban linear park, broad community support and creative-funding solutions.
UTA hosted an open house at the Columbus Center on April 2 to share information on the study and get input from local residents. The event, which was well attended, gave the community an
opportunity to help determine the need for a transit alternative and to give feedback on the “universe of alternatives” (which includes all the potential transit alternatives that might fit in the study area).
UTA representatives were on hand to answer questions and solicit feedback from citizens and concerned parties.
“This initial meeting is meant to get input,” said Chad Saley, UTA spokesperson.
“We expect to have the locally preferred alternative around September. Right now, we’re still trying to put together something that the community would want and something that would fulfill a need.”
The information gathered from the first public meeting will be used to develop a “short list” of three preferred transportation alternatives. UTA will perform a detailed assessment on these alternatives based on several criteria, including the six identified previously. This short list will
be presented for consideration at the next public open house on July 12 at the Sprague Library in Sugar House.
At the end of the study, UTA hopes to have identified one “locally preferred alternative” along with funding options for the project.
“Part of the study is to find funding alternatives,” Saley said. “We currently have money for the study but no funding for the project.”
Those unable to attend the open houses
can still voice concerns or give feedback
at www.rideuta.com or by calling
RIDE UTA (743-3882).

UTA wants public input about SugarHouse-SSL

2007-04-20T05:57:00.000-07:00

The Utah Transit Authority wants public input about the future of the Transit in the area generally bounded by 3rd West, 17th S., 13th E, and Interstate 80.
PLEASE go to UTA's Website
and let them know how you feel about how to improve transportation in this area. The more people that express their opinions to UTA will result in solutions that will better meet the community's needs.
Please let them know if you like the Trolley idea. Or perhaps.... something better.

SL Tribune- April 2, 2007

2007-04-02T12:36:00.000-07:00

Transit could link opposites together
UTA study is looking at linking rough part of South Salt Lake with Sugar House
By Cathy McKitrick
The Salt Lake Tribune
Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated:
A future transit line, under study by the Utah Transit Authority,
could one day link two very different Salt Lake Valley communities. At
one end of the 1.8-mile route, a few blocks west of State Street,
there is an area of South Salt Lake that some folks hesitate to
frequent after dark.
At the other end, several blocks to the east, there is the charm
of Sugar House's retail district, a combination of sought-after
franchises and unique mom-and-pops.
In between - the dividing line between South Salt Lake and Sugar
House is 500 East - the residential neighborhoods run together.
For South Salt Lake's part, the city aims to revive its west side
with transit-oriented development near the light-rail station at 250
W. 2100 South. That transition has begun, and a direct rail link to
Sugar House could be part of that community's revitalization.
Also sandwiched between these two destinations are South Salt
Lake's city offices and Salt Lake County Government Center at the
corner of 2100 South and State streets. Most of the county's 4,000
employees work there.
A few blocks northeast of the corridor, 2,500 students attend
Westminster College - about 900 live on its cozy campus.
"We're the biggest employer in the Sugar House neighborhood, and
we have a regular flow of commuters," says Gary Daynes, director of
Westminster's Center for Civic Engagement.
Daynes estimates that 200 employees and 1,500 students make their
way to the liberal-arts enclave each weekday.
At Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake's request, the Utah Transit
Authority launched a study of the corridor to determine the best
east-west route, somewhere between 2100 and 2700 South, and the most
appropriate mode of transport.
Vehicle choice could be anything from light-rail, jazzed-up bus
service, state-of-the-art streetcars or vintage trolleys.
Stacey Liddiard, president of South Salt Lake Chamber, views the
study - and today's open house - as an opportunity.
"South Salt Lake residents can have a voice about what goes in
there that they can actually use, rather than something that wouldn't
benefit them at all," Liddiard says.
From that perspective, she believes that rubber-tire transport
that travels at slow speeds and stops at every other block would best
service the neighborhoods east of State Street.
Some residents whose homes border UTA's right-of-way favor
rubber-tire transit on 2100 South rather than trains zipping through
their backyards along UTA's rail corridor, Liddiard says.
As a business advocate, Liddiard acknowledges the advantages this
east-west connection could bring.
Construction on South Salt Lake's mixed-use Market Station
development is scheduled to start this summer and Liddiard views it as
a future valleywide draw.
"We're hoping we can share customers with Sugar House, that people
will want to stop and shop at both ends," Liddiard says.
Lynne Olson, vice chairwoman of Parley's Rails, Trails, and
Tunnels Coalition (PRATT), said her nonprofit organization favors a
single-track transit system along UTA's right of way.
"That would work best for us," Olson says, as it would allow for
an adjacent bicycle-pedestrian path that would become part of the
eight-mile Parley's Creek Corridor Trail.
In the most narrow portions of UTA's right of way - currently a
former Union Pacific rail line overgrown with weeds - additional land
acquisition for the rail-trail would still be required.
While homed in on the route, PRATT is less picky about the mode.
"We've been told TRAX could run on a single track in that
corridor," Olson says. "Also a rubber-tire or neighborhood trolley
would work just as well."
For six years, Trolley enthusiast Doug White has examined the idea
of refurbishing old-time streetcars and reviving their use along this
corridor.
"I'm a big fan. That style of operation and look would be a
perfect fit for the community," White says.
However, his idea lacks financial backing and "the ball is in
UTA's court now," he says. "I'm in standby mode right now."
Steve Hurlbut, who teaches management at Westminster, credits
White as the "spark plug that got us all talking and studying this."
In late 2005, a team of Hurlbut's students analyzed White's
concept and concluded it was feasible. But without an influential
board of directors and serious fund-raising, it likely would go
nowhere.
"I would love to see them do some kind of trolley, some slow
touristy thing, and stick a bike trail on one side," Hurlbut says. "It
would get rid of the blight along the corridor, provide transportation
and give Sugar House one more unique feature."
Wish lists aside, Hal Johnson, UTA's engineering and construction
manager for Bus Rapid Transit, says the process of defining a "locally
preferred alternative" is rigorous, combining regional travel data
with area demographics.
"We connect all that in a mathematical model and see what mode
fits it best," Johnson says.
The cost to bankroll a project can elevate one mode or route above
another. Most of the cost to operate a transit system lies in labor,
not rubber and fuel, Johnson says, noting that a single operator can
drive an 800-seat train or an 80-seat bus.
Unseen factors can also drive up costs - "like underground
utilities you have to protect or move," Johnson says.
Once a preferred route and mode are selected, a more detailed
environmental study takes place. After that, the search for funding
begins.
"This is a starting point," Johnson says of the current study.
"And we encourage early involvement from the public when they can have
the most impact."
cmckitrick@sltrib.com

Open house today

* What's next: Utah Transit Authority-sponsored open house on the
Sugar House Transit Corridor
* When: Today, 5-8 p.m.
* Where: Columbus Center, Room 106, 2531 S. 400 East, South Salt Lake
What's it about?

* In January, the Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake City and South
Salt Lake initiated the Sugar House Transit Corridor Alternatives
study.
* Its goal: to determine the best route and mode to move people
through this area.
* The study should be completed this fall.

SugarHouse Trolley in Desnews

2007-03-29T03:47:00.000-07:00

Deseret Morning News, Thursday, March 29, 2007

Rail, trolley, buses: Sugar House looks at options

UTA holding open house on the issue Monday evening

By Doug Smeath
Deseret Morning News

An abandoned rail line runs at about 2200 South through South Salt Lake and Sugar House, unused and an "eyesore," as Salt Lake City Councilman Van Turner calls it.

One day, it could be a new transportation route.

The Utah Transit Authority has begun studying transit alternatives for the area from about 200 West to Highland Drive, and the possibilities include a new light-rail line, a modified bus system or even historic trolley cars.

UTA representative G.J. LaBonty updated the City Council on its study Tuesday, and he is hoping for public input in the process.

An open house on the issue will be held Monday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Columbus Center, 2531 S. 400 East.

UTA owns the old Union Pacific rail line that runs from about 200 West, near the 2100 South TRAX station, to just west of Highland Drive behind the Granite block in Sugar House.

Consultants are considering a light-rail line, either along the rail corridor or somewhere else in the area, a street-car system, bus rapid transit or vintage trolleys, an idea promoted by former Sugar House resident Doug White.

"I just think it would be both a transportation fit and an attraction for the community," White said.

He has started a nonprofit group aimed at turning the idea into reality. He has been offered a trolley from a company in England, which could be rented for $1 a year, because the company believes it is a good promotional opportunity.

However, White wants to run that trolley, which has a modern design, while he can buy and revamp some more historic trolleys. He knows of the existence of three old trolleys that ran in Salt Lake City in the 1920s and '30s, but they need a lot of work before they could run again.

Whichever option UTA ultimately settles on, it will likely need a number of funding sources — including local, state, federal and donor money. Officials don't yet know how much the various ideas would cost.

LaBonty said the study is in its beginning stages, and it likely will be the end of the year before the alternatives are narrowed down to a preferred option. After that, environmental and other studies will be required. LaBonty estimated it could be a 15- to 20-year process before the new transit system is up and running.

E-mail: dsmeath@desnews.com

© 2007 Deseret News Publishing Company

KCPW radio

2007-03-29T01:12:00.000-07:00

www.KCPW.org
Sugarhouse to Get New Transit

Mar 27, 2007 by Julie Rose
Alternatives Include TRAX, Trolley, Bus
(KCPW News) The Utah Transit Authority is halfway through with a study considering various transit alternatives for the quirky Sugarhouse neighborhood. Officials agree the area merits major transit improvement, but haven't decided which option is best. Alternatives include a TRAX line running west to the 21st South Station, a historic trolley and additional bus routes.

Salt Lake City Mayor's advisor DJ Baxter says TRAX may not be the best alternative initially, unless UTA determines there will be significant ridership. With major redevelopment expected this year on the corner of 21st South and Highland Drive, Baxter says the key is to begin construction on new transit soon. He and a representative from UTA will report on the status of the alternatives study tonight at the Salt Lake City Council meeting at 7 p.m. at Nibley Park Elementary.

Sugar House Corridor Transit Study

2007-03-14T02:49:00.000-07:00

Fehr and Peers has created a website for the "Sugar House Corridor Transit Study" it is found at

www.sugarhouse.webexone.com

On the lower left click "enter as guest"
Please fill out their surveys and feed back forms. Please also let them know what a great job they are doing.

They will be having their first open house meeting on April 2nd, from 5-8 pm at the Columbus Center in SSL, Room 106.
,2531 S 400 E,

Please invite everyone you know that lives in the SugarHouse Trolley District to the meeting. The more public input to the process will make things better. The Trolley District is generally bounded by 300 West, 1700 S., 1300 E., and I-80.

Story in Valley Journal- Jan 2007

2007-02-24T06:26:00.000-08:00

Vintage trolley could be viable option for SSL
Valley Journal

By Liesel Gowen
Imagine walking along 2100 South
by a lush green park. The birds are
singing and you stop at the trolley station
to catch a ride to Sugar House for a day
of shopping.
Doug White, South Salt Lake resi-
dent and organizer of the Sugar House
Trolley Association, presented this pic-
ture to the South Salt Lake City Council.
“All the trolley systems currently in
use have been set up in the last 10 to 15
years,” he said. “And everywhere they
have gone in, property values dramati-
cally increased.”
UTA currently holds the rights to
put in whatever transportation system
they find feasible along the 2100 South
corridor. They are researching White’s
suggestion to see if it fits into the larger
picture.
In the meantime, White has found
several workable trolleys the city could
use for less than half the cost of a TRAX
car. White has also collected $500,000 in
donated time and materials from corpo-
rations and individuals.
UTA project manager George
LaBonty said their major concerns are
whether it is safe and efficient. They will
not put in a system that does not fit with
the community, he said.
“People are concerned with what the
cars will look like. They want to know
how noisy it is and whether it will rum-
ble when it goes by,” LaBonty said. “We
will not move forward on a project that
does not meet these basic needs.”
The system that goes in will not
exceed 30 miles per hour and will stop
frequently, LaBonty said. This addresses
the concern brought up by city attorney
Dave Carlson, who said many residents
initially did not favor a TRAX line
because they believed it would pass them
by without serving them.
“We have met with the neighbors in
the area and we have pretty well convert-
ed everyone to the idea of having a line
by their homes,” said Mayor Bob Gray.
Because it holds the legal rights to
public transportation in South Salt Lake,
UTA would have to sign the right-of-way
over to White for him to complete his
trolley project. LaBonty said UTA would
take longer to complete the project than
White would, because UTA has so many
projects that are a higher priority, where-
as White’s main focus is to complete this
project.
“Land use drives transportation,”
Labonty said. “We are working with Salt
Lake City, South Salt Lake and Sugar
House to make sure there are no fatal
flaws.”

SSL news with mention of trolley

2007-02-18T17:37:00.000-08:00

South Salt Lake

Council bumps up apartment fees

Extra service demands cited; tighter outdoor smoking rules adopted

By Cathy McKitrick
The Salt Lake Tribune
Salt Lake Tribune

Article Last Updated:01/26/2007 02:11:26 AM MST

SOUTH SALT LAKE - The City Council has bumped up business fees charged on apartments of three units and larger from $25 to $64 per unit.
A recent city-funded study showed that the city's rental units - 62 percent of residents in the community rent rather than own - use a disproportionate amount of services, especially in terms of police and fire calls.
"This is a thorough study. I'm convinced the $64 fee identified is a minimum in regard to disproportionate impacts," said Councilman Bill Anderson. "The problems in apartments have caused our more law-abiding citizens to shoulder those costs for too long."
In other council action, members voted unanimously to ban smoking in city parks, and on ball diamonds, soccer fields and trails.
The no-smoking zone also extends to within 50 feet of mass gatherings of 50 people or more that are either city-sponsored or take place on city-owned property.
Smokers who light up in the wrong spot could receive a warning - or be fined $25.
At the request of some of the council members, golf courses were dropped from the ban.
"They were taken out of the ordinance so people could enjoy tobacco there - not that the city owns a golf course," said City Attorney Dave Carlson.
The ban is intended to limit the ill-effects of secondhand smoke, which contains class A carcinogens and impacts children in particular.
The council also passed a resolution pledging $30,000 toward an alternatives analysis study for the Sugar House Transit Corridor - an east-west, two-mile route that could run in the vicinity of 2200 South from 250 West to 1100 East.
Partnering in the study is Salt Lake City and the Utah Transit Authority.
The two cities will pay $35,000, with corridor owner UTA kicking in $65,000.
The corridor could one day connect Market Station, a mixed-use development under way in South Salt Lake, to the Sugar House commercial district.
According to UTA Project Manager G. J. LaBonty, the study will take six to nine months and will compare various vehicle options - rapid-transit buses, trolleys, streetcars. Such vehicles travel at speeds lower than 30 mph and can make frequent stops.
Trolley proponent and Rose Park resident Douglas White, who has studied that option for several years, said he hopes that the nostalgic form of public transport becomes the preferred vehicle to service the route.
cmckitrick@sltrib.com

Sugarhouse Transit Alternatives Study

2007-02-17T23:13:00.000-08:00

UTA has selected an engineering company, Fehr and Peers, to conduct the Transit Alternatives Study for the Sugarhouse and South Salt Lake. They have been given the "green light" to start the study and will be organising themselves to look at the various options and gather public opinion.

I will post more information as I get it.

-Doug

The Modern Streetcar - Portland, OR

2007-01-04T06:17:00.000-08:00


Video clips of a modern streetcar in Portland Oregon. This is the type of vehicle being considered for a streetcar system in SugarHouse. This streetcar system will support a livable, walkable community in SugarHouse, just as it has done in Portland.

South Salt Lake City Council Presentation

2006-12-05T01:40:00.000-08:00

4 Dec 2006

On Wednesday I was invited to make a presentation to the South Salt Lake City Council.

They listened to my summary for nearly a half hour and asked many questions. The tone of the meeting was very good. Some of them asked for some follow up information that I am now getting ready.
Also GJ LaBonty of UTA gave the council an update of the Transportation Alternatives Study of the SugarHouse Spur.

The City Attorney also reviewed to the council some of the aspects of the city's relationship to UTA.

It appears that the Alternatives Study will look at Trax, Bus Rapid Transit, UTA operated modern Streetcar, and my Vintage Trolley. The study will likely consider using different corridors.

I have heard the various engineering companies are to have their preliminary proposals submitted by Dec 5th. UTA will select the Engineering company by December 22nd barring any glitches.

-doug

SugarHouse Trolley in SL Tribune

2006-11-14T00:48:00.000-08:00

Proponent says Sugar House-South Salt Lake line could be practical, and a tourist magnet

By Cathy McKitrick
The Salt Lake Tribune

Article Last Updated:11/14/2006 12:53:19 AM MSTSOUTH SALT LAKE - About six years ago, Douglas White got the idea to restore trolley travel from South Salt Lake to Sugar House along an old Union Pacific rail line.
Today, that notion has become a full-blown obsession, White said. And with the Salt Lake Valley's growing transit needs, his concept is starting to gather traction.
The old track, now owned by Utah Transit Authority, runs along 2200 South from 1100 East to 250 West - a 1.8-mile route linking Sugar House to the planned Market Station development in South Salt Lake.
"I've had discussions with South Salt Lake and UTA. G.J. LaBonty [of UTA] informed me we're officially one of their alternatives to be considered," White said, adding that UTA's transit alternative study for the Sugar House spur is just getting underway.
Monday night, White outlined his vision of a locally-sponsored streetcar system to a handful of interested folks at South Salt Lake's Pioneer Craft House.
By setting up a cooperative between White's Sugar House Trolley Association, UTA, Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake, Salt Lake County and other interested entities, White said he hopes to avoid "the red tape that occurs when you go Federal."
He has a lead on several streetcar options - for $25,000 a company in England will ship him a refurbished hybrid vehicle he can lease for $1 a year.
Thebattery-charged vehicle would recharge as it travels every half mile, stop every quarter mile and top out at speeds of 20 to 25 mph, White said.
Other options include refurbishing much older streetcars, such as the Bamberger, which used to run from Preston, Idaho, south to Price - and now sits idle at Ogden's Union Station.
White estimates the project's total cost at $8 million.
"It would cost $40 million to put in a

light-rail system along that route. This would provide the same service for much less, and would double as a tourist attraction," he said.
The Parley's Rails, Trails and Tunnels Coalition (PRATT) hopes to install a trail along the Sugar House spur as part of the 8-mile Parleys Creek Corridor Trail. The trail and single-line transit could coexist in the same transit corridor, White said.
"It's a great idea - it would be the best utilization for all areas up and down that trail, serving as a great community tie-in along the whole route," said Emil Kmet, a Sugar House community council member.
White plans to host another meeting at 7 p.m. Jan. 9 at the Pioneer Craft House, 3271 S. 500 East.
More information can be found at www.sugarhousetrolley.org
cmckitrick@sltrib.com

SugarHouse Trolley and other Utah Trams, Trolleys, Light Rail info

Trolley in the Deseret News

2006-11-07T07:41:00.000-08:00

Deseret Morning News, Tuesday, November 07, 2006

South Salt Lake mixed-use project sought

By Amelia Nielson-Stowell
Deseret Morning News

SOUTH SALT LAKE — A developer is hoping to capitalize on the transportation stops in South Salt Lake and create a 12-acre community with retail and residential space.

Deseret Morning News graphic

The $350 million to $400 million mixed-use project, Market Station, would feature 15-17 buildings, some up to 11 stories high, with hundreds of thousands of square feet of retail space and 600 residential units.

"No doubt it's a tired area that's been light industrial in the area for years, and it's run its course in that use," said developer Steve Aste. "It's long overdue for a project like this."

Aste, managing partner of Park City-based Cascade Developments Partners, is building the project with Los Angeles-based West Millennium Homes. The two already opened phase one of their project earlier this year. That development, Central Pointe, a 76-unit condo complex with seven retail stores, is located at 2150 S. Main St.

Market Station is phase two of the expansion and will extend from 2100 South to 2300 South and Main Street to State Street. The site was formerly home to Burton Lumber, which vacated the grounds over a year ago.

The project is centered around various transportation hubs. Both Interstate 15 and Interstate 80 feed into the project, as does TRAX. A proposed trolley line would run from the Central Pointe TRAX stop near Market Station to Sugar House on an existing hard-rail line along 2200 South, a Utah Transit Authority right-of-way.

The idea of a trolley has been discussed for years, but Aste said it could be a reality in the next three or four years. However, UTA's Justin Jones said the earliest it could be created would be 2030. Currently, UTA is focusing on extending other TRAX lines before developing the trolley system.

"Since we have a corridor and a right of way, it would be silly not to use it for some sort of transportation purpose," said Jones, the UTA spokesman. "But there isn't any funding for it."

Aste's project and the lack of parking in Sugar House have spurred additional city support for the trolley line. South Salt Lake and Salt Lake City have both funded a preliminary study on the proposal. Results could be released by January.

That study will explore various options for the UTA rail corridor, such as using a trolley, light-rail car or bus, and even the possibility of adding a walking and biking trail next to the rail line.

But Bill Anderson, chairman of the South Salt Lake City Council, said the council does not want to use that rail corridor for the project because it cuts through neighborhoods and would likely have few if any stops within South Salt Lake. He favors a soft-tire trolley bus that would run on the streets and stop every few blocks.

********************************************************************************

-We plan on having Trolley Stops in SSLC @ 3rd W. ,West Temple, State, 3rd E. , & 5th E. . Are 5 Trolley Stops in SSLC enough???

=Doug

********************************************************************************

Market Station, however, is a welcome project in the city of 22,000, where 62 percent of residents are renters.

"Because of that location, it obviously has potential for development," Anderson said. "We're thrilled that somebody is willing to take the risk. That is not a cheap gamble to be taking."

Unlike other retail-driven projects, Market Station will be its own small community, with a grocery store and dry cleaner.

"It's going to be different from what (Salt Lake) is doing at City Creek or the Gateway, because those are destination malls. This is centered around community first," he said. "I don't view it as competition, I view it as an alternative."

In the coming month, South Salt Lake's Redevelopment Agency Board will discuss making the 12-acre site a redevelopment project. If that is approved, property-tax dollars could be diverted to it for infrastructure costs, such as redoing the old sewer system, putting power lines below ground and building a public parking lot.

E-mail: astowell@desnews.com

SugarHouse Trolley News: Oct 06

2006-10-09T19:27:00.000-07:00

I recently got some news: Sometime after the first of the year UTA, SSLC, & SLC will be doing a transportation alternatives study for the "Sugar House Spur". I have been informed that our Trolley Plan is officially one of the alternatives that will be considered. Hey, it is a step in the right direction.

Doug

New Spot for Utah Rail developments

2006-08-15T08:49:00.000-07:00

Hi,

I just created this blog to discuss Tram, Trolley, and Streetcar developments in the Great State of Utah.

I am partial to the proposed SugarHouse Trolley because that is the project I am working to create.

Check out My Streetcar blog for more details.